Visiting Research Fellow, Social Research Center, AUCA
Title: The Impact of Democracy Assistance on NGO Sustainability in Kyrgyzstan
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided millions of dollars in assistance to emerging civil society organizations in Kyrgyzstan through its Democracy and Governance program. Although the concept of civil society encompasses many different types of associations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are a critical element of civil society. An unusually large number of NGOs exist in Kyrgyzstan, compared to neighboring countries in Central Asia, and a majority of these NGOs are located in the capital, Bishkek. However, more important than the sheer number of organizations is the degree to which they are sustainable, or able to function effectively in the long term.